What is an Each-Way Lucky 15?

What is an Each-Way Lucky 15?

An each-way Lucky 15 is simply a Lucky 15 bet where every line is doubled to include both a win bet and a place bet.

That means instead of 15 bets, you now have 30 bets in total: 15 on the win side and 15 on the place side. A £1 each-way Lucky 15 therefore costs £30 instead of £15.

What does “each way” mean in general?

Before we zoom in on Lucky 15s, let’s clear up what “each way” actually means.

An each-way bet is two bets in one:

1. Win bet – the horse must win outright.
2. Place bet – the horse must finish in the places (2nd, 3rd, 4th etc., depending on the race and terms).

So if you back £5 each way, your total outlay is £10 (£5 on the win, £5 on the place). If the horse wins, both bets pay. If the horse only places, you still get a return from the place bet at a fraction of the odds (commonly 1/5 or 1/4).

How this works in a Lucky 15

A standard Lucky 15 is:

• 4 singles
• 6 doubles
• 4 trebles
• 1 fourfold = 15 bets in total

An each-way Lucky 15 duplicates those 15 bets on the place side. That’s 30 bets altogether.

So a £1 each-way Lucky 15 costs £30, because you are covering both win and place for every single line.

Why people choose each-way Lucky 15s

Punters often choose the each-way version because:

• It gives more cover: even if your horse doesn’t win, a place still returns money.
• It helps with outsiders: longer odds horses often place without winning, so you can still collect.
• It cushions losses: instead of walking away empty-handed, the place side gives you something back.

The trade-off is the extra cost. But many see it as worthwhile because of the protection it offers.

Actual example

Let’s say you place a £1 each-way Lucky 15 (£30 total). Your four horses return these results:

• Horse A: 10/1 → finishes 2nd (place only)
• Horse B: 5/1 → finishes 3rd (place only)
• Horse C: 7/2 → wins
• Horse D: 12/1 → unplaced

On the win side: only Horse C’s single and any multiples involving C pay.

On the place side: A, B, and C all pay out on singles and multiples at reduced place odds.

Even though only one horse won, the place part means you’re still picking up multiple payouts.

When to choose an each-way Lucky 15

Here’s a quick guide as to when you should choose an each way lucky 15:

• When backing bigger prices where a place return still offers good value.
• In big fields with generous place terms (1/5 odds for 4 or 5 places).
• If you want to protect against the frustration of near-misses.

Final thoughts

An each-way Lucky 15 doubles the cost of your bet but also doubles your chances of collecting. Instead of 15 win bets, you have 15 win bets and 15 place bets.

That means a £1 Lucky 15 costs £15, while a £1 each-way Lucky 15 costs £30. For punters betting on outsiders or looking for more safety, the each-way version is a popular choice. However, this does become more complicated, so calculating all of the odds will often require a dedicated Lucky 15 calculator.